Washington, PA — He didn’t see the cones until the three-eighths, but that didn’t bother Risenshine Seaside a bit, as he blazed to a track record 1:48.3 in Friday’s (July 21) $19,300 Open Handicap Pace at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and trainer Ron Burke swept Friday’s pair of Open Handicap events, with Wrenn winning six overall on the 12-race card.

Risenshine Seaside blazed to a track record 1:48.3 in Friday’s $19,300 Open Handicap Pace. Chris Gooden photo.

Risenshne Seaside dueled with Sandbetweenmytoes and Double Metal for the early lead, but once he crossed over for Wrenn, he put a gap between himself and the rest of the field. The Downbytheseaside-Vivid Shine gelding triumphed by 7-1/2 lengths, clicking off fractions of :26, :54, 1:21 and 1:48.3 in knocking a tick from the standard for 4-year-old geldings established by Backstreet Shadow in 2019. Bronx Seelster and Wild Wild Western completed the ticket.

Risenshine Seaside now has banked $240,145 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Phillip Collura.

In Friday’s companion feature, a $21,200 Open Handicap Trot, Tequila Talkin zipped to the lead from post five and never was seriously threatened as he rolled to a decisive victory.

Longshot challenged briefly when he angled off the cones from third but soon broke stride, leaving Tequila Talkin and Wrenn to win as they pleased and score by 5-1/4 lengths in 1:52. Jujubee, the 2021 Trotter of the Year making only his 10th start over the past two seasons, closed well for second after a miserable trip, with Joey third.

Tequila Talkin, an 8-year-old Cantab Hall-Margarita Nights gelding, lifted his career bankroll to $459,742, for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi.

Dave Palone collected three Friday wins, giving him 12 over the past three programs.

Saturday’s card at The Meadows features two eliminations for the $450,000 (est.) Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, the prestigious test for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers. The elims go as races seven and eight, with Pennsylvania Sires Stake action rounding out the 14-race program. First post is 12:45 p.m.

The top four finishers in each elim, plus the fifth-place finisher with higher career earnings, return for the Adios final on Saturday (July 29). Connections of the elim winners choose their post positions for the final, with the other post positions determined by random draw. The blockbuster Adios Day card includes five Grand Circuit stakes in addition to the Adios. The Adios Day program kicks off at 11:45 a.m.